St. Cecilia Music Center was established in 1883 by nine Grand Rapids women, the organization was named for the legendary patron saint of music. Students leaned about the centers history, renovations, and the impact of music center has in the West Michigan performing arts community.
During the tour our piano players had an opportunity to test and compare different Steinway and Yamaha pianos throughout the center.
After our tour the orchestra experienced the acoustics of the performance hall with a rehearsal and a workshop with Duo Shen an Associate Conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony. The workshop was about hour long with the music the 8th orchestra performed at their Spring Concert followed by a Q&A session with Mr. Shen.
Not sure who enjoyed the workshop more, the parents listening or the kids in the workshop they sounded awesome. The venue is amazing and highly recommend visiting St. Cecilia Music Center to enjoy one of the many performances they host.
We started our day roughly at 8 am at Galmont Hotel’s Marina Restaurant where we enjoyed our first Irish breakfast. Breakfast typically included many cold meats, cheeses pastries, eggs, Irish breads, potatoes, mushrooms, thick bacon, waffles, toast, juices, coffee, hot chocolate, etc. Something for everyone and very tasty, I think most would agree this hotel had the best breakfast on the trip.
As soon as we were done with breakfast we boarded the bus to start our adventure to the Cliffs of Moher. We head south/south west out of Galway following the coast and proceed to the Cliffs of Moher going through a very scenic region call the Burren. The Burren is a very interesting place as the limestone was scraped smooth by the glaciers providing very porous but almost waterless limestone landscape. It is ideal landscape for wild flowers and plant life but rarely a tree is seen. The landscape makes it very difficult for human life. In the mid-17th century General Ludlow reported to Oliver Cromwell that The Burren possessed “not any tree to hang a man, nor enough water to drown him, nor enough earth to bury him”.
We stopped for a quick 15 minute break to walk around The Burren and to take a few quick photos. Where we stopped we could see the Cliffs of Moher rising up in the distance from the coast line. Our break at The Burren short was to beat the crowds and the rain that was expected at the Cliffs. A experienced rock climber or hiker may have wanted to stay longer.
Our bus moved up the narrow roads to higher elevation winding through some smaller villages as we arrived the Cliffs of Moher. Upon arriving at the Cliffs we were the second tour bus of the day to arrive beating the crowds and the rain. Once the bus was parked we had the choice to walk or take a trolley (8 Person Golf Cart) to the top. It was recommend to go to the cliffs first to beat the rain, by the time we all started to head back down the drizzle was becoming a very steady rain. With the rain the gift shop and the informative movie theatre was packed.
The Cliffs of Moher is a very different landscape of the The Burren. Its a towering layer of shale, silt, and sandstone towering 682 feet over the Galway Bay with amazing views of the Aran Islands. There is a 30 mile trail along the edge of the cliffs that is unguarded. The tower on the Cliffs of Moher was built in 1835 and on a clear day the mountains in Kerry can be seen. From here there is noting but ocean to coast of America. The views were amazing and the group has repeatedly reported this was one of their favorite parts of the trip.
We left the Cliffs about 11:30 AM to travel the town of Lisdoonvarna and play the “The Road to Lisdoonvarna” in the center of town. Unfortunately the rain was now a very steady down pour so we stopped for a quick sing along on the bus at the city center. On our bus tour of we learned why people would be so happy to be on “The Road to Lisdoonvarna”. The town is the host of the largest Match Making Festival in Europe with 100,000 people flooding the town after the fall harvest for the fest. Host of the fest is the town and Irelands last official matchmaker Willie Daly.
After our “Sing Along” we made our way to the town of Kinvara for lunch. The rain at lunch made it a bit soggy to enjoy lunch at the outdoor Farmers Market. We had several pubs to choose from and a grocery store for us to find lunch and dry off a bit. The Great Famine of the 1840’s through the 1960’s the population of Kinvara dwindled down to 100 people but since the 1960’s the population as grown to about 1,000 people. Our bus driver, Flan, pointed out the Pub that the legendary song writer John Prime use to visit when he lived in town.
We made our way back to Galway to the Claregalway Educate Together N.S. school to have a after school exchange with the Lackagh Comhaltas, a power house of traditional Irish music. Its a youth group that dominates the Fleadh Cheoil music scene with winning many All-Ireland Awards. Both groups played a few tunes for each other and shared our music with them. They sounded amazing and also had two harp players. During their performance they also had dancers perform traditional Irish jigs. After the performance exchange they taught us how to dance. Big smiles and fun for all!!
Lackagh Comhaltas performing for Mona Shores.
Learning some basic Irish dance moves and learning a Ceili “Kay-lee” dance.
The exchange lead to big appetites so we made our way to downtown Galway where we had a 5:30 dinner at Monore’s. I should point out that our time in Ireland was also the beginning of the 2024 Euro Cup, so Football (Soccer) was on every screen at dinner with many roars of cheers. Many of us would watch the games back in the hotel to wind down the day. At Monore’s we had a choice of Irish Beef Burger, Bacon & Cabbage with Mash & Parsley Sauce, Beer Batter Fish & Chips, or Hearty Beef & Guinness Stew with Creamy Mash Potatoes. It was a very tasty dinner.
Our evening was not over after dinner, we enjoyed a quick stretch of the legs at 7 PM to Carrol’s Bar. Carrol’s Bar is famous for live session music, very cozy, festive place. The music was slow to get started which some stayed to enjoy and other went into the heart of Galway’s Latin Quarter that is filled with live music and street performers. Walking through the Latin Quarter was fun walk back to our hotel for much needed rest on this very busy day. Our day
In the merry month of June from our Mona Shores we started. Saluted Father dear, kissed me darling mother. Then off to Ireland, leave where I was born. Cut a water bottle to banish ghosts and goblins A brand new pair of brogues, rattlin’ o’er the bogs Frightenin’ all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin One, two, three, four, five! Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road And all the way to Dublin, Whack fol lol le rah!
Dear Fellow Ireland Trip Travelers,
Our summer break is almost over since our travels to the Emerald Isle but it feels like a only a week since we have been back. In our time back I spent a more than a few days catching up on some sleep, uploading pictures, editing pictures, visiting friends & families, editing pictures, taking kids to camps, recovering from Cadbury chocolate addiction, editing pictures, and enjoying summer.
Thank you to all the parents who help keep an eye on my not so little ones as I fell behind the group, who helped Mrs. DeRose, for helping me along, and just being a awesome group to travel with. I really enjoyed getting to know you all.
Thank you students for being a great group of kids and making this a memorable trip. Your dedication to rehearsals gave us some truly amazing and memorable performances in such iconic historical locations. I really hope you all had as a great of a time as I did, watching you all perform. I look forward to see what you all do next!
I would also like to thank Eric from Guardian Travel for planning the trip, Joe our amazing Ireland tour guide for showing us his beautiful country, and our amazing bus driver Flan who sang to us, pointed stuff us out to us and kept us safe on some really narrow crazy roads.
Very special thank you to our good friend Mrs. Melissa Meyers from Grand Haven. Mrs. Meyers helped throughout out the year at rehearsals, chaperoning, playing, help tuning the cellos, and making the trip just a bit easier for my wife. Hopefully see you on the next trip in four years.
Since our trip I received many more photos from all of you, even some from a professional photographer from our time in the Rock of Cashel. I have many photos and videos that have not been shared with the group or on any of our web page/social media pages. In the next few days I will share these photos with our highlights of our trip.
Finally, I want to thank the person who made this happened. Without her this trip would not have happened. So thank you to my friend, my wife, and your teacher Mrs. Kelly De Rose.
Sincerely,
Bob DeRose
MSOPA Web and Social Media Support
Day 1: Wednesday June 20, 2024
Day 1 was long traveling day. We set out from Mona Shores High School after lunch on a charter bus to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport on Aer Lingus airline to Dublin Ireland. We left Chicago at 9:30 PM CST and arrived 10:40 AM Irish time June 21, 2024.
Day 2: We met Eric (Guardian Travel) and Joe (Tour Guide) at Dublin airport. We gather the group for a nice sunny outdoor stretch of our legs to our charter bus where we met our driver Flan. Our first day in Ireland and we going to make our way to Galway, where we will stay for a few days. Galway. Galway in on the east side of Ireland and Dublin is on the west so we have a few hours in the bus till our final destination. Trying to stay awake on the bus to adjusted to the new time change is a challenge, so a few stops were planned.
First stop was to get quick lunch and bathroom break. We stopped at what we might call a truck stop but this stop had many quick options from burgers to kebobs to curry to pastries to candy. I think for many of us, this stop began our addition to trying the many assortments of Cadbury chocolates.
Halfway between Galway and Dublin we made a stop at Clonmacnoise.
Because Clonmacnoise is located on the Shannon River halfway be Galway and Dublin it was a very import location and was the most important Irish monastery in the Golden Age. It was built around 580 AD, was attacked several times when the Normans arrived in 1150, and in 1552 the English soldiers stole everything that could be carried and smashed what they couldn’t. Today its one of Ireland’s best preserved monastic sites where many riverboat cruise tours dock on the Shannon River for some amazing views.
We continued to make our way from Clonmacnoise to Galway where we checked in at the Galmont Hotel and Spa about 6 PM. We had enough time to drop off our bags in our rooms before we headed out for a walk in downtown Galway for dinner at the Hungry Eyes restaurant. After dinner, light shopping for snacks or needed items was included on the walk back to the hotel for a much needed sleep for day 3, our first full day in Ireland.
On April 16th we had the Spring 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra Concert with the Middle Fiddlers at the Middle School.
6th Grade Orchestra
Some members of the 6th Grade Orchestra read their letters of what they like best about Middle School Orchestra and why the 5th Grade Orchestra students should continue in Middle School. Birthday Cupcakes seems to be the most favorite things.
The Middle Fiddlers
The 6th, 7th and 8th Grade orchestra students of The Middle Fiddlers performed with several students performing solos.
5th Grade Orchestra
The 5th Grade Orchestras students from Campbell, Churchill, Lincoln Park and Ross Park performed together as a combined 5th Grade Orchestra.
Night of fun filled traditional fiddle folk music had some great moments and really great music provided by The Mona Shores Middle Fiddlers, Mona Shores Fiddlers, and Peat in the Creel.
The Mona Shores Middle Fiddlers played their first concert of the year highlighting some really young talent coming up in the Fiddle program. Director Nick Mosely was even able to recruit the exciting return of Mr. Timothy Staudacher on guitar.
The Mona Shores Fiddlers are at full stride with a 2014-15 year of performances at Michigan Irish Festival, WoodTV’s eightWest, and Muskegon’s Farmer Market to name a few. The Mona Shores Fiddler’s debut a exciting original tune Vespers Jig by Dale Liddle (Guitar) and Greg Beaudoin (Banjo/Guitar).
A Thank You to Walk the Beat for sponsoring the afternoon workshop with Peat in the Creel for the Middle Fiddlers and the Fiddlers. A BIG Thank you to the talented and amazing Peat in the Creel our featured guests, for a fun filled educating afternoon for the students and entertaining the rest of us with the traditional Celtic music.
On Friday December 12, 2014 Several of our Mona Shores High School & Middle School orchestra members had the chance to participate in the Mark Wood’s Electrify Your Strings with Muskegon High School Orchestra. Mlive reports:
Wood, an original member of the Multi-Platinum-selling Trans-Siberian Orchestra and creator of the revolutionary Viper electric violin, has worked with Celine Dion, Lenny Kravitz and Billy Joel, among others.
The Friday night concert was more of a rock concert and full of energy. Vega Goorman and Jason Fitzpatrick were featured performers in a couple of songs. Jason put down his instrument to the Viper for a spin for his featured spot. Mr. Mosely even got in on the fun. Question of the night is who had more fun the audience or the players?
Mona Shores Orchestra 